Quick-action automatic release mechanism for air-brakes.



, J. E. EORMAND. v QUICK AG TION AUTOMATIC RELEASE MEGHANISH FOR AIR BRAKES.

APPLIQ ATIQII'E I LED APR. 28, 1808.

4 Patentd Oct. 27,1908

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tr. E. 1103mm. QUICK-ACTION AUTOMATIG RELEASB MECHANISM FOR AIR BRAKES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 28, 1903.

Patentedv Oct. 27, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

amoebic:

J. B. NORMAND. QUICK ACTION AUTOMATIC RELEASE MECHANISM FOR AIR BRAKES.

V APPLIUATION FILED APR. 28, 19.03- 902,161 Patented Oct. 27, 1908. A A I sauna-sum a. I A v 22 g 6/20 I A 2 I 2/ G28 Z 28- 4a" 26d 27 I 3/ 3V6 626 I v v. 40/

22,28 20, 2/',' A i 22, 2s, 2 2 7 45/ 3/- 27 3/ 4 44 4 1 f I 26 17 A v I a IV :1 Y 26* ATENT orFIcE.

JOSEPH E. NORMAND, OF HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTINGHOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENN- SYLVANIA.

No. eoaier Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 27, 1908.

Application filed April 28, 1993. Serial No. 154,706.

T all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, JosErH E. NoRMANo,

, citizen of the United States, and resident of Hoboken, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Quick- Action Automatic Release Mechanisrn'for Air--Brakes, of which the following is a specification'l y This invention relates to fluid pressure brakes, and more particularly to a valve mechanism. for securing a quick serial release of the brakes throughout the train.

The main object of my invention is to provide means operating upon an increase in train pip'c pressure for opening communication from a supplemental or reinforcing reservoir on each car to the train pipe, whereby the train pipe pressure is locally increased and causes the quickencd serial action of the next succeeding triple valve device, and so on similarly throughout the train.

Another feature of my improvements consists inproviding means on the car "for releasing the brakes, independently of the 10- comotive. j

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 a diagrammatic view illustrating myinvention applied to a car air bra-kc equipmentg'hig. 2 a central sectional view of a triple valve device embodying my improve ments; Fig. 3 a plan .view of the main slide valve seat of the triple valve device, showing the location of ports and pipe connections; Fig. 4 a part section on line b-b of Fig. 2,- Fig. 5 a part section on line aa of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 a plan view of the main slide valve seat on an enlarged scale; and Figs. 6 to ll inclusive diagrammatic views illustrating the relative position of the main slide valve on its seat in emergency application, service application, lap, partial or graduated release, full release, and quick serial release positions, respectively. I

My improvements are preferably embodied in a triple valve device such as shown in Fig. 2, comprising a casing 6 having a piston chamber containing the triple valve piston 9 and valve chamber 30 containing main slide val e 10. The main slide valve seat is provided with an exhaust port 918 leading to the atmospheric exhaust 29, brake cylinder port 26, connected to passage25 leading to the brake cylinder 4, and brake cylinder supply port 31 also opening to passage 25, port 22, opening into passage and pipe 42, which leads to the supple mental or reinforcing reservoir 3, and port 20 which is connected to a passage 19. which opens into the piston chamber of the triple valve piston 9. The main slide, valve is provided with a groove 44, adapted to reg-. ister with the port 31in service applicatiog position, aicavity 27 for connecting the brake cylinder port 26 with the exhaust port 28, and a port 21 adapted to connect the port 20 with the supplemental reservoir port 22, and also provided With a through port opening 23, connecting'the port 20 with the valve'chamb'er 80 and the auxiliary reservoir.

When air is admitted to the train pipe, the. triple valve piston is'shifted to a position in which the port opening of passage 19 is uncovered and air from the train pipe then flows through said passage and the port QO'to port. 2-1 in the main slide valve, which registers with port 20 in this position, and thencethroughnthe' port opening 23 to the valve chamber 30 and the auxiliary reservoir; Air also flows through the passage 2O to the port 22 and "thence to the" supplemental reservoir The reservoirs are thus charged to the normal standard train pipe ressure, and the brake cylinder is connecte with-the atmosphere by way of 4 port 26, cavity 27 inthe main slide valve 10, and exhaust port 28. If it is desired to apply the brakes, a reduction intrain pipe pressure is made and the triple valve parts move over to service position in the usual manner. In this position, as shown in Fig. 7, the brake cylinder exhaust is closed and the brake cylinder supply port 31 is in register with the groove 44 in the valve, so that air from the auxiliary reservoir is admitted to the brake cylinder. Upon the usual substantial equalization of pressures, the piston and main slidevalve are moved back to lap position, as shown Fig; 8. By venting a small quantity more air from 'the train pipe the main slidevalve may now be moved outwardly to increase the brake pressure, or by sli htly recharging the train pipe the main sfide-valve may be moved till the ports 26 and 28 are partially in commpnication through port 27 and grooves 45 in the valve 10 and the air in the brake cylinder allowed to leak slowly to the atmosphere. Fig. 9 illustrates the ports in this position When the ports are in this position the air will leak but very slowly from the brake cylinder-to the atmosphere resulting in a gradual decrease of pressure in the brake cylinders; at the same time the ports 22 and 23 are brought into communication and air flows from the reinforcing reservoir to chamber 30. This flow of air from the supplemental reservoir'will raise the pressure in the chamber 30 above that in the train pipe, and the piston 9 and valve 10 will be moved outwardly until it cuts 05 communication between supplemental reservoir and chamber 30 thereby equalizing the tary exhaust from the brake cylinder and a of the brakes.

repetition will result in agradual release The engineer is-thus enabled to grade his brake pressure up and down at will, by venting a small quantity of air from or into the train pipe at the engineers valve.

The small screw 43 through the wings of the valve 10 is for the purpose of locking the valve to piston 9. The small groove 44 is for the purpose of limiting the time of service application; the small groove 45 is for the purpose of limiting the time of gradual release. I For a quick and positive release the engineer will admit quickly a large quantity of air into the train-pipe from the main reservoir on the locomotive, or the trainman through the hand valve 5 from the supplemental reservoir, the effect of which is to forcethe piston 9 and the slide valve 10 to its full stroke inwardly. When in such a position as illustrated in Fig. 11, supple- 1 mental reservoir air is admitted in the train pipethrough ports 22, 21, 20 and 19, and.

sure in advance of the auxiliary reservoir .pressure.

4 After the equalization of the train pipe, supplemental reservoir and auxl0 in their normal to again move the valve to the position of,

iliary reservoir has taken place a spring 12, adapted to act on the triple valve piston, is provided for returning piston 9 and valve position as illustrated in Fig. 2. 4

The hand valve is for the purpose of normally controlling communication from the supplemental reservoir to the train pipe, whereby the brakes may be released on a train without bleeding an auxiliary reservoir, and also for the purpose of charging a train made up at a terminus.

Numerous modifications of my improved device may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is as follows:

1. In a railway air-brake system, the combination with a triple valve and train pipe,

of a supplemental reservoir; and means whereby the release action of said triple valve will permit air to flow from supple mental reservoir to the trainipe whereby to assist in the restoration 0 air-pressure in the latter to release the brakes.

2. In a railway air-brake system; the combination with the triple valve and trainpipe, of a supplemental reservoir; and means whereby the release action of one triple valve will open communication between said supplemental reservoir and the next succeeding section of the train-pipe, as and for the purpose set forth.

, 3. In a railway air-brake system, the combination with atriple valve and train-pipe connected therewith, of a supplemental reservoir connected with the train-pipe, a valve mechanism interposed between said supple mental reservoir and train-pipe; and means whereby the release action of the triple valve will establish communication between said supplemental reservoir and train-pipe as set forth.

4. In a brake mechanism, the combination with a train-pipe a sup lemental reservoir, of a hand valve control ing communication between said supplemental reservoir and train-pipe for they purpose of charging a long train when it is made up at a terminus, substantially as set forth.

5. In a brake mechanism, the combination with a train-pipe a supplemental reservoir, of a hand valve controlling communication between said supplemental reservoir and trainsp'ipe, for the purpose of releasin the brakes on a long train without the ald of the locomotive, and without bleeding the auxiliary reservoir, substantially as set forth. 6. In a fluid pressure brake system, the combination with an unobstructed trainpipe, an auxiliary reservoir, a triple valve, a brake-cylinder and a supplemental reservoir, of means operated by an increase in train-pipe pressure for opening communication from the supplemental reservoir to the train-pipe. e

7. In a fluid-pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, auxiliary reservoir, triple valve, bra'kecylinder. and supplemental reservoir, of means for holding said supplemental reservoir closed upon a reduction of train pipe pressure to a point above atmospheric pressure, and a release valve mechanism operated by an increase in trainipe pressure for opening communication rom the supplemental reservoir to the train- 1 e. .9 5; In a fluid tion with a tram pipe, auxiliary reservoir, brake cylinder, and a supplemental reservoir, of a triple valve device operating upon an increase in train pipe pressure for opening communication from the supplemental reservoir to the train pipe' 9. In a fluid pressure brake, the combination with a train pipe, auxiliary reservoir, brake cylinder, and a supplemental reservoir, of a triple valve device operating'upon a reduction in train pipe pressure for open ing communication from the auxiliary reser voir to the brake cylinder and adapted upon an increase in train pipe pressure to establish communication from the supplemental.

reservoir to the train pipe.

10. In a fluid pressure brake the combination with a train pipe, brake cylinder, auxiliary reservoir, and a supplemental reservoir, of a triple valve device operating upon an increase in train pipe pressure to open communication from said supplemental respressure brake, the combine iliary reservoir, and a supplemental l'eservoir, of a triple valve device operating upon an increase in train pipe pressure to open communication from said supplemental reservoir tov the train pipe and also to the auxiliary reservoir side of the triple valve device and a yielding spring device for return ing said triple valve device to a position closing said communication upon substantial equalization of fluid pressures on opposite sides of the triple valve device.

12. In a fluid pressure brake, the combina-. tion with a train pipe, brake cylinder, auxiliary reservoir, and a supplemental reservoir, of a triple valve device comprising a piston subject to the opposing pressures of the auxiliary reservoir and train pipe, and valve means operated by said piston upon an increase in train pipe pressure for opening communication from the supplemental reservoir to the train pipe and also to the auxiliary reservoir, and a spring operating to return the valve to close said communication upon equalization of pressures on the piston.

\ Signed at New York in the county of New York and State of New York this 24th day of April A. D. 1903.

JOSEPH E. NORMAND. 

